Connecticut school massacre: 27 people dead including 20 children

Connecticut school massacre: 27 people dead including 20 children

State police personnel led children from the school, following the shooting. (Courtesy of Shannon Hicks, NewtownBee.com / December 14, 2012 via Hartford Courant)

A 20-year-old gunman entered a Connecticut elementary school where his mother worked Friday morning and unleashed one of the worst massacres in American history, leaving 27 people, including 20 children, dead before taking his own life.

The shooter, Adam Lanza, was dead, the AP reported, citing a source, and his older brother Ryan, of Hoboken, N.J., was questioned but was not involved, the AP said. A mix-up by law enforcement led the media to initially believe that Ryan Lanza was the shooter, the AP reported. Before the error was corrected, however, Lanza’s Facebook page was already under attack by Internet vigilantes. Lanza, who works at Ernst & Young, posted on his phone on the way home from work, “IT WASN’T ME, I WAS AT WORK, IT WASN’T ME.” His story was corroborated by swipe records at his Manhattan offices, ABC reported.

The shooter’s mother, Nancy Lanza, worked at the school as a teacher and was killed at the Newtown home she shared with her son before he set off on his deadly mission, the AP reports.

Eighteen children died at the school and two more were taken to area hospitals, where they were pronounced dead, Connecticut state police said, and six adults were killed. The principal is believed to have been one of the adults killed during the shooter’s spree. The shooting was confined to one area of the school, and limited to two classrooms, Lt. Paul Vance said. The assistant principal, shot in the leg, survived and is being treated at Danbury Hospital.

“Evil visited this community today,” said Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy.

The shooting happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the small Fairfield County town of Newton, about 75 miles northeast of New York City, about 9:40 a.m. Friday morning.

Three guns were found at the school — a Glock and Sig Sauer pistols and a .223-caliber rifle, AP reports. The guns were purchased legally but registered to the shooter’s mother, reports said.

One of the guns found was a Bushmaster .223

A command post was set up at local firehouse. where children were reunited with their parents as others waited desperately for what would be horrific news. One classroom has ever single child unaccounted for.

In an age where it is almost impossible to eliminate electronic traces of one’s existence, Adam Lanza managed to leave few traces. No Facebook page, no Twitter account, not even a photo in his high school yearbook, the NY Times reported. Classmates described him as visibly pained in social interactions, a young man whose stark solitude was likely rooted in a personality disorder reported to be Asperger’s Syndrome. Lanza was also left at home in the middle of a failing marriage after his older brother moved to attend college at Quinnipiaz University. His parents were divorced in 2008.

Wiping away tears, President Obama choked up and paused as he addressed the nation at 3:15 Friday afternoon. Obama ordered flags lowered to half-staff. “Our hearts are broken today,” he said in moving comments. “The majority of those who died today are children.”

Obama also said the nation has to come together, take meaningful action after school shooting. He will fly to Connecticut Saturday to meet with the community and state leaders.

“I heard seven loud booms and the gym teacher told us to go in the corner and we all huddled,” a student at the school told NBC Connecticut.

The school district’s superintendent has placed all buildings under lockdown, which has since been lifted.

A young girl is cradled following a fatal shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. (John Woike, Hartford Courant / December 14, 2012 )

Children at the school were evacuated. Some kids emerged from the school holding hands — some in tears as they were escorted from the building by teachers. Teachers sprang to action in the school as gunfire resonated in the hallways, ordering kids to huddle in the corners and locking the doors.

“Everybody was crying,” said Alexis Wasik, a third grade, according to CNN. “And I just heard the police officers yelling.

Said another woman outside the school, according to CNN:

“Why? Why?”

A mother rushes three children down Dickinson Drive after 28 people were shot and killed in a shooting Friday morning at Sandy Hook Elementary School ( Cloe Poisson, Hartford Courant / December 14, 2012 )

A woman talks to a state police officer at the scene of a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown ( Cloe Poisson, Hartford Courant / December 14, 2012 )

46 comments

Chico

Very sad for the victims but, WHEN will the freakin government put a stop to fire arms in the whole USA??? This is ridiculous, too many freedom in obtaining fire arms out there, parents taching their kids how to use them in case they need to protect themself…. to protect from what?

Wake up americans, you owe it to you, only you and your laws that YOU voted for.

smh

wow….that is a very uneducated comment. Bottom line….. if someone wants something (drugs, guns, etc.) they will find a way to get it. You should really do your research before speaking out like that. In NY, there are very strict rules and education required before even applying for a permit. Knowledge is power. Most permited to carry a pistol are respectful. Maybe you should be the one that wakes up

Steve

This was a grown up attacking children you moron. Someone who know what they were about to do. You need to wake up with a BIG slap to the face(id be more than happy to). When 18 children were just killed in their classrooms learning how to read a fucking clock and their ABCs as we all did, you don't come out and starting attacking the entire american people with you uneducated comments. Chico you are a disgusting human.

adam

Wow,this is crazy i mean come on why would u take your anger out on a bunch of 5 year olds,im 14 and to think that crazy people are going into schools and shooting up classrooms it scares me cause it could happen to me in my school. All these schools need to get at least 2 metal detectors per school and the government needs to do more to get all these guns out of the usa or at least most of them. And i give my heart out to the victims family

Larry

Kearaney

im not meaning to argue but if you take guns away from law abiding citizens then crime rate will go up. criminals know how to get guns illegally and they will continue to get them even if guns are banned in the USA. I would prefer to have concealed carry. A criminal will think twice if they don't know how many people surrounding them have guns that could return fire.

Stw

Carmen

Kirstin cole, you really said a comment that hit the wrong way w many ppl, you were speaking to a reporter and said that the congressman , I’m not quite sure if that’s who you were talking about but a person from that state ,that town ,a
Man in politics, you asked if he was there and his kids are students there and if they were ok snd safe and if the father was there, does it matter if his kids are students there? Or if Their dads in politics? Also you inquired if his kids were safe? Wat about our kids? There are 600 kids to worry about and your taking important time on the subject to ask about his kids dnd himself? Who the hell cares who there dad Is or who his kids are You should worry for all 600 not just two, think sensitivity before you speak!!

Louisa loki

Why does it matter if a congressman had kids in that school?
You ask if he’s thete?
Of his kids are safe?
What about our kids?
Guess his taxes pay your salary? We are the little people, I forgot, sorry

heartbroken

oh my god, i can't even think of how those poor children were feeling, i agree with putting stop to buying guns. you know this seems like such an easy thing to fix VOTE NO GUNS. you hear from the government all the time talking about world peace and stop the violence, well don't make it so easy and tempting for people.it just seems like common sense………….i'm thinking of the children and their families right now and the staff at the school and their families at this time and hop all is well….stay strong

Not joe

"Not Joe" – "Heartbroken" – But they are easily available.. and made… and transported. Laws will not stop them from being in the hands of bad people. You live in a fantasy land, as if that will solve the problem. No. The extinction of the human race will be the solution. Till then, violence, hatred, war are realities we have to deal with. Fantasy solutions are useless and contribute nothing to the problem. You want to curtail the ability for those who are hateful violent mofos killing innocents? Get a permit, carry. Arm the good citizens who can fight back against certain, apparent, evil. Take the guns away… and they'll just make a bomb… as if you couldn't already with what you have in your chemical ridden kitchens and sheds. That is OUR state of existence, as sad as it is, you either allow yourself to fight back or die.

Not not joe

ashley

CT has some of the strictest gun regulations around….Banning things doesn't stop the people who really want to use them from using them. People still do HIGHLY illegal drugs. Don't blame the guns. Blame the gunman.

Larry

THEN Close all the McDonalds for making kids Fat, Close all Social Media sites because of Bulling.
GUNS dont kill
I exercise my 2nd amendment right everyday. Had I been there. This May have had a different outcome. Educate yourself THESE COWARDS Attack the Helpless. In Schools, Malls, Movies. Everywhere firearms are not allowed. Maybe they need to think about changing that.
God Bless these poor souls.
My heart felt prayers to the victims and their families.

cristina

Pilhoon

right now isn't the time to argue about the gun control policy. please pray for the victims and their family. its really heartbreaking to hear about this news during the most joyous time of a year. please let's just support their family, law enforcement officers, at this momenent.

michelle

RAJ

I'm soo sorry for people who lost their lovely innocent childeren …you know I BLAME THE SYSTEM .Just imagen innocent children are NOT safe in public schools…schools have to be protected with professional securities, metal detectors and police officers..DON'T let anybody in unless they have been screened or padded down…..IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO U ARE !SOMEBODY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BETTER WITH SCHOOL SYSTEM .

Laura

Jai

@ Pilhoon I agree – I just watched a co-worker rush out of our NY office to get to his children's school in that school district. Our focus should be on sending out positive energy and prayers for the families that have encountered losing a loved one and the speedy recovery for survivors. Children. Future leaders, mothers, fathers, husands, and wives. Stop bickering for a moment and just….pray.

Naomi

My heart goes out to those family that had children in this school… when they find this devil they need to tourture him so that he can feel the pain these families are feeling. And if its true that the gunman was a father to a student that son of a bitch dont deserve kids…

Lady

Katie

It’s devastating to hear about any killings especially when a child is involved. In this case, it wasn’t just one.. It was 18 children. I hope they all rest in peace and the killer suffers with lucifer. December 21 is starting to look real. People are dying so rapidly.

Becky

Loredana

I'm speechless. I can't believe what I'm hearing. Why are we all going aganist each other? Especially those little children. My heart goes out to the parents. My goodness I hope the Lord wil give you strength at this terrilbe time.

Anonymous

This is a very sad moment to add tour history. A moment to come together in prayer for everyone because all of us are vulnerable. Nobody wants to instill in children faith in God and values. It’s so easy to blame society but parents must start teaching their children about God and how all acts good and bad come back to you in the end…prayers for all closely affected by this tragedy.

marquet cargile

My heart go’s out to the family’s who lost there babies in this shooting i don’t understand how someone can do this to little kids i say every school should have metal detectors big town or a small town school there r to many crazy people in this world

a jenkins

KiaS

The gun policy isn't the issue. Havinga permit for a gun doesn't make everyone suceptible to losing it and killing the innocent. The fact of the matter is the man was obviously lost and out of his right mind. Blame his condition. Prayers are going out to all the families affected by the shooting. May god comfort those who have lost loved ones as well as the Survivors will be traumatized also. It is important to think of them.

Norah

Anonymous

Oh my goodness. You people are bickering back and forth on “stop gun violence” and what not?! Hello, there are such things as knives too! If guns aren’t available, people will turn to knives or other weapons that are available! So it’s not about just getting guns off the streets! Why wasn’t there a security or something in the hall way, or like another person mentioned, metal detectors at this school?! Schools should hire well trained securities with training in case of incidents like these! My heart goes out to the families who have to deal with such a terrible ordeal! :(

Knows How to Write

Maricela

Rip to all the lost souls :-( And I’ve notice that in the school where my daughter goes to people go in and out and all they have to do is sign a book no identification or nothing. I really do think that should change. I don’t think our kids are safe at all.